Their Story
From a summer night in Clyde to forever.
Jenna and Aaron first met in January 2010, when Jenna travelled to Clyde during the summer holidays to stay with a work colleague for a couple of nights. On the first night of her stay, a group of them went to the pub. Aaron arrived to catch up with his brother, who happened to be friends with Jenna’s colleague. Introductions were made, and that was it.
For just over a year, their relationship meant weekends on the road, either travelling to Clyde or back to Dunedin. Eventually Aaron shifted to Dunedin, they moved in together, and the story that began on a summer night in Central Otago became something much bigger.
The proposal came in early December at home. Aaron told Jenna there was a present in the Christmas tree for her. While she searched the tree, he went and got the ring. Jenna found the present, opened the box and discovered a pair of earrings. Then Aaron dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him, catching her completely by surprise.
“I obviously said YES!”
A rustic vintage wedding at Grandview Gardens
Jenna and Aaron planned a rustic vintage wedding, and Grandview Gardens was the perfect venue for the style they had in mind. The theme was woven through every part of the day, including the invitations, wedding dress, flowers, cake and styling throughout the venue.
It was a day that felt cohesive without feeling overdone. Every detail had a place, and together they created a warm, romantic setting for a wedding full of love, fun and laughter.
The dress, flowers and details
Jenna found her wedding dress at Wilkins Bridal in Christchurch. She had spoken with them at the Dunedin Wedding Show a couple of years earlier and knew from that conversation that it was where she wanted to go to find her gown. The first dress she tried on ended up being the one.
Her dress was a vintage-inspired Essense of Australia fit-and-flare gown. It featured an illusion sweetheart neckline, vintage lace detailing and a beautiful tattoo-back look. A three-tiered skirt, extra-long train and pearl buttons finished the gown.
Jenna’s shoes were from Trousseau Bridal and Evening Shoes. Her hair was by Courtney Goodman at Moha Hairdressing, and makeup was by Makeup by Kim Tuliau.
The flowers were created by Carley at Joseph Jones. Jenna had always loved her work and did not hesitate when choosing her as the florist for the wedding. Her bridal bouquet was one of the details she absolutely loved.
The cake was made by Zarlene at Arbitrary Cakes. It was a three-tier cake with rustic white chocolate ganache icing and strawberries dipped in white chocolate cascading down it, fitting beautifully with the overall style of the day.
A relaxed photography experience
Craig and Sarah began the day by visiting both Aaron and the boys, and Jenna and the girls, capturing the anticipation and preparation before the ceremony. From there, the photography followed the flow of the day: the ceremony, a group photo, family photographs, a bridal shoot around the farm at Grandview Gardens, and reception moments including speeches, cake cutting and the first dance.
For Jenna and Aaron, the photography felt relaxed and fun. There were plenty of laughs, and Craig and Sarah helped them feel comfortable throughout the whole day.
“Craig and Sarah made us feel so relaxed and comfortable during our wedding day and we had so much fun with plenty of laughs.”
Jenna and Aaron first enquired with O’Neill Photographics after a recommendation from Jo Lindsay at Grandview Gardens. After meeting with Craig, viewing the albums and following the work on social media, the decision was easy.
The natural style, the experience and the connection they felt made O’Neill Photographics the obvious choice for their wedding day.
The best part of the day
When asked about the best part of the wedding, Jenna’s answer was simple and heartfelt: marrying her best friend and having all of their family and friends there to celebrate with them.
Looking back, there is nothing they would change. The day was exactly what they hoped for — magical, full of fun, love and laughter, and surrounded by the people who mattered most.
“Enjoy every moment. Your wedding day is only one day and it goes so fast, so make the most of every single minute.”
